Different Residence Halls on Campus
Picking which residence hall you want to live in during your freshman year can be both exciting and nerve-racking, especially when you don’t know much about them. Of course, you can find a plethora of information about the different residence halls on the university’s website, but a student’s point of view can sometimes be more helpful. The University of Iowa is home to 11 residence halls and each of them has its own unique characteristics.
East vs West Side
The Iowa River runs right through the middle of campus and splits it into two sides, east and west. West-side residence halls consist of Hillcrest, Rienow, Slater, Parklawn, and Peterson. The east side halls are Burge, Catlett, Stanley, Mayflower, Currier, and Daum.
Whether you choose to live on one side of the river or the other, you will have a few advantages. The west side is home to all things sports related, including the field house, Kinnick Stadium, Carver Hawkeye Arena, Duane Banks Baseball field, and much more. Being on the west side means you have a shorter walk to any of the multiple sporting events here on campus.
The west side is also home to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Living close to the hospital can be useful if you plan to volunteer or get a job there. Additionally, the biomedical science buildings and Carver College of Medicine are both located on the west side. If you are a potential medical student or interested in a health-related field, I recommend looking into the west side residence halls!
The east side also has its many perks! As a freshman, most of your class will take place in buildings on the east side. Therefore, living in a dorm on that side can be ideal for walking to and from class. Of course, there are always busses running back and forth between the two sides, so you’ll never be stuck walking long distances if you don’t want to.
The east side is also located right on the edge of downtown Iowa City. Most of the residence halls are a five-to-ten-minute walk to shops, Target, restaurants, etc. This can be extremely beneficial when you need to make a quick run downtown or if you enjoy studying in off-campus coffee shops.
Dining Halls
The University of Iowa has three main dining halls on campus. They are located in Hillcrest (west side), Catlett (east side), and Burge (east side). So, no matter what side you live on, you will have quick and easy access to a dining hall.
If the dining halls are closed or don’t feel like leaving your residence hall, there are tons of other great options for food. If you live in Mayflower or Parklawn, you may have your own kitchen in your dorm to cook food. Other residence halls tend to have marketplaces where you can use hawk dollars or flex swipes to grab a quick bite to eat.
Conclusion
Overall, the university has a variety of dorms to choose from and each of them provides students with multiple advantages. You can find more information about dorm pricing, room options, and more on the university’s website. There are also pictures of rooms in each residence hall and YouTube videos that walk you through the residence halls! A few residence halls on campus have their own recreation/workout area, while others have great study places or other fun areas.
Picking a residence hall can be stressful, but there’s tons of information about each of them available to you. Additionally, talking to current students and asking them questions can help you determine which hall would be the best fit for you.
